Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine: An initial experience

Retrospective analysis was carried out for 447 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the spine. The overall mean age +/- SD of the entire series was 38.7 +/- 12.9 years. Degenerative spinal lesions and prolapsed intervertebral disks were detected in 62% and 73% of all the studies and of those which showed spinal abnormalities respectively. Postoperative granulation tissue was the third most common abnormality detected (12%). MRI was superior to computed tomography (CT) and CT myelograms in the diagnosis of disk prolapse (97% versus 66%), degenerative disease of the spine (94% versus 48%), and postsurgical granulation tissue (100% versus 6%). Comparing the numbers of CT and CT myelograms requested in the year prior to the installation of the MRI to the numbers requested during the year where the MRI was functioning did not show any change in the frequency of ordering CT studies. We conclude that our hospital-based series has shown an interesting pattern for spinal disorders. The first year experience of the utilization of MRI in various spinal diseases has been satisfactory with prevailing diagnostic superiority for that modality.